guide-to-us-type-coins

UNITED STATES BULLION
From ancient times into the later years of the 20th century, coins have been
representative of their precious metal content. Beginning with U.S. gold coins
in 1933, this tradition ended. Later, in 1965, with the advent of clad coins,
90% silver coins disappeared, too. It was not until 1974 that it became legal
to own gold again, which helped shape collecting today.
Nowadays, no country issues gold and silver coins for circulation, but
many of the world’s leading nations, including the United States, issue
bullion coins. In the fall of 1986, the United States Mint released the first
gold American Eagles, followed by silver American Eagles in December. Just
over a decade later in 1997, the U.S. Mint released the first platinum Eagles.
And in 2006, the first 99.99% pure gold coins to be struck by the U.S. Mint
were released. These $50 gold Buffalo coins displayed a design reminiscent
of James Earle Fraser’s beloved Buffalo nickel. In 2010, the U.S. Mint also
began issuing large, 3-inch diameter collector versions of the National Park
quarters, struck in 5 ounces of 99.9% pure silver.
SILVER AMERICAN EAGLE
1986-DATE
Composition: 99.93% silver
Weight: 31.101 grams
Diameter: 40.6 mm
Mints: Philadelphia, San Francisco, West Point
GOLD AMERICAN EAGLE
1986-DATE
Composition: 91.67% gold
Mints: Philadelphia, West Point
Tenth-Ounce Gold $5 Weight: 3.393 grams Diameter: 16.5 mm
Quarter-Ounce Gold $10 Weight: 8.483 grams Diameter: 22 mm
Half-Ounce Gold $25 Weight: 16.966 grams Diameter: 27 mm
One-Ounce Gold $50 Weight: 33.931 grams Diameter: 32.7 mm
PLATINUM AMERICAN EAGLE
1997-DATE
Composition: 99.95% platinum
Mints: Philadelphia, West Point
Tenth-Ounce Platinum $10 Weight: 0.10005 oz. Diameter: 16.5 mm
Quarter-Ounce Platinum $25 Weight: 0.2501 oz. Diameter: 22 mm
Half-Ounce Platinum $50 Weight: 0.5003 oz. Diameter: 27 mm
One-Ounce Platinum $100 Weight: 1.0005 oz. Diameter: 32.7 mm
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